Geração SOMA is an initiative by Vo’Arte that develops artistic projects with children and young people, both with and without disabilities, as well as workshops with teachers.
This year, we brought Geração Soma to Josefa de Óbidos Elementary and Secondary School, with dancer Joana Gomes serving as Artist-in-Residence, supported by PNA (Plano Nacional das Artes). Together with Maria Inês Costa and Ana Rita Barata, Joana Gomes presented the show In Another Waywhich demystifies the topic of blindness and tells the story of Braille. Since the beginning of the year, they have incorporated this performance into their Citizenship and Development class to show students that one can “see” with one’s whole body, and that the impossible is possible.
There were seven sessions with classes from 5th to 9th grade, where fear was replaced by courage and where the students were truly challenged. In the end, they created works inspired by everything they had seen and discussed. We received a wealth of emotions and words in the form of artwork, drawings, paintings, sculptures, poems, and much more.
We left feeling certain that we had brought a little hope to the students with In Another Way, and that we made them believe their contributions change the world.
“(…) I realized that silence speaks too, and that we can convey what we feel and connect with others in a much deeper way, using only gestures and facial expressions.” (Daksh Maugi – 7th Grade D)
